Earth Day 22 nd April TEAM IGCA & PWS-GCA The theme of World Earth Day 2015 “Water Wonderful World”.

Beginning… It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and celebrated in more than 192 countries each year.

The Idea  The idea came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Inspired by the student anti-war movement, he realized that if he could infuse that energy with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution, it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda.  As a result, on the 22nd of April 1970, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to- coast rallies.  The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. "It was a gamble," Gaylord recalled, "but it worked."

Today…  Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22nd, on which day events worldwide are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection.  Founded by the organizers of the first Earth Day in 1970, Earth Day Network (EDN) promotes year-round environmental citizenship and action, worldwide.  Earth Day Network is a driving force, steering environmental awareness around the world. Activists connect, interact and impact their communities, and create positive change in local, national, and global policies.  EDN's international network reaches over 22,000 organizations in 192 countries, while the domestic program assists over 30,000 educators, coordinating thousands of community development and environmental protection activities throughout the year.

Tomorrow… 2020  Flash floods will very likely increase across all parts of Europe. (IPCC)  Less rainfall could reduce agriculture yields by up to 50 percent in some parts of the world. (IPCC)  World population will reach 7.6 billion people. (U.S. Census Bureau) 2070  As glaciers disappear and areas affected by drought increase, electricity production for the world’s existing hydropower stations will decrease.(IPCC)  Warmer, drier conditions will lead to more frequent and longer droughts, as well as longer fire-seasons, increased fire risks, and more frequent heat waves, especially in Mediterranean regions. (IPCC) Humans are the only specie who can make it a better place for One & All.

Tomorrow… 2085  The risk of dengue fever from climate change is estimated to increase to 3.5 billion people. (IPCC) 2100  A combination of global warming and other factors will push many ecosystems to the limit, forcing them to exceed their natural ability to adapt to climate change. (IPCC)  Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels will be much higher than anytime during the past 650,000 years. (IPCC) 2200  An Earth day will be 0.12 milliseconds shorter, as rising temperatures cause oceans to expand away from the equator and toward the poles, one model predicts. The poles are closer to the Earth’s axis of rotation, so having more mass there should speed up the planet’s rotation. (Felix Landerer, Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Geophysical Research Letters )

Change is a must…

Creating…  Help students learn about the potential of solar energy as they learn to make S'Mores Solar Cooker.  A Solar Cooker made by a student was demonstrated to the students in Primary & Middle Schools of PWS.

Why do we need an Earth Day?  Because it works! Earth Day broadens the base of support for environmental programs, rekindles public commitment and builds community activism around the world through a broad range of events and activities.  Earth Day is the largest civic event in the world, celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities.  More than a billion people participate in the campaigns every year.

What can I do for Earth Day? The possibilities for getting involved are endless! Volunteer…. Go to a festival…. Install solar panels on your roof….. Organize an event in your community…… Change a habit…….. Help launch a community garden…. Communicate your priorities to your elected representatives…………. Do something nice for the Earth, have fun, meet new people, and make a difference. But you needn't wait for April 22! Earth Day is Every Day. To build a better future, we all must commit to protect our environment year-round.

We are all in this together. Each one of us is equally important, as it is only by working together that we can actually SAVE OUR PLANET.